Future of the European Union

[Pannonian]

Rofl, did you forget to add the tag "neoliberal" to the rest of the invective directed at the euthor?

Play the ball, not the man.

As an aside, James Rogers begun his career as an EU foreign policy analyst.

That was the strategy of Leave. Throw enough lies around, and if Remain stick to playing the ball, there is never enough time to refute all the lies (many of which, like the 350m for the NHS promise, have some kind of weaselly loophole to excuse the liars), which means enough of them circulate. I haven't said neoliberal because I was just quoting what the wiki article said, and neoconservative is the description they use. In case people have forgotten what neoconservatism is, look up Project For a New American Century, the think tank that sent the US and UK into Iraq.

[Furunculus]

That was the strategy of Leave. Throw enough lies around....(some further guff)

Right, so show me the lies?

[Pannonian]

Right, so show me the lies?

Try the 350m per week for the NHS claim, which was disowned after the referendum, with the explanation that it was an aspiration, not a promise. There's the claim that Turkey was about to enter the EU. Which they were never close to, and even if they were, we could always veto it. Was that the truth too? What about the recent claim from the trade minister that the EU-Japan trade deal will boost UK exports by billions? What about the same idiot's claim that the UK-EU trade deal will be the easiest in the world to negotiate? What about the promise that a 52-48 result would not be the end of the matter?

I'd like some truth about the implementation of Brexit as well. Such as the process behind engaging Seaborne when the company has no assets and no experience, yet was given a 14m contract. The Times has also reported that latest cabinet discussions suggest that 30k troops will need to be ready to prepare for Brexit, not 3k as was previously thought to be the case, based on the experience of the 2001 fuel protests (an incident that I've cited as an example of the problems that we'll be facing, but was either dismissed or ignored by you and other Brexiters). Why is such a deployment necessary, and does your document address the issues behind the necessity of such a deployment? NB. this isn't a think tank, whose purpose is to peddle fantasies, producing these plans. It's the government.

At what point do we stop trying to focus on the fine detail, and conclude that the whole thing is a fundamentally bad idea?

[Furunculus]

No.

No, no, no.

Tell me about the lies of this piece that allows you to write it off without any critique of the methodology.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Boys, look, I am starting up a microbrewery and to be honest the price of hops is killing me. Californian's just love these 150 IBU IPAs, it's disgusting but that's the market for you.

Starting March 29th, I am buying up all those quality German hops that no longer have a destination to go to at discount prices. Please don't sign May's deal, otherwise it's gonna screw up my profit margins.

[Pannonian]

Boys, look, I am starting up a microbrewery and to be honest the price of hops is killing me. Californian's just love these 150 IBU IPAs, it's disgusting but that's the market for you.

Starting March 29th, I am buying up all those quality German hops that no longer have a destination to go to at discount prices. Please don't sign May's deal, otherwise it's gonna screw up my profit margins.

You don't need hops. Just use some cheap artificial preservatives and the US trade deal will require us to accept it. Come to think of it, you don't need the other traditional ingredients either. Mix industrial alcohol with some flavourings, and you're good to go. Give it some traditional English name for marketing here as well, as the EU will no longer be protecting our regional brands.

[Husar]

Californian's

*Californians

I agree with the rest though.

[Pannonian]

No.

No, no, no.

Tell me about the lies of this piece that allows you to write it off without any critique of the methodology.

Will you summarise it, or highlight the salient points? Given the track record of Brexiteers, I'm not too hopeful there's anything worth bothering with. Eg. your and their bright idea of following the Singapore model as an economy. Except that Singapore is a city with very little hinterland, and doing as you say would result in the loss of our agricultural industry. Which you said you were fine with, but which immediately makes it unacceptable to me and probably a sizeable majority of the UK population. And if you think I should have to read all of it myself; well, I've cited and summarised the testimony of Mr Trucker, showing how government policy has been influenced by it, and you still say that you can't be bothered to listen to it or read it.

And will you address the latest news on the government's implementation of Brexit? This isn't a dream peddled by a think tank, that can invent all kinds of stuff and dare you to prove them wrong. It's reportage of what the government is actually doing or planning about this thing you voted for.

[Furunculus]

Will you summarise it, or highlight the salient points? Given the track record of Brexiteers, I'm not too hopeful there's anything worth bothering with. Eg. your and their bright idea of following the Singapore model as an economy. Except that Singapore is a city with very little hinterland, and doing as you say would result in the loss of our agricultural industry. Which you said you were fine with, but which immediately makes it unacceptable to me and probably a sizeable majority of the UK population. And if you think I should have to read all of it myself; well, I've cited and summarised the testimony of Mr Trucker, showing how government policy has been influenced by it, and you still say that you can't be bothered to listen to it or read it.

And will you address the latest news on the government's implementation of Brexit? This isn't a dream peddled by a think tank, that can invent all kinds of stuff and dare you to prove them wrong. It's reportage of what the government is actually doing or planning about this thing you voted for.

There is an executive summary, put on your big boy pants and try reading it.

If you get to any difficult words let me know, and I'll help.

[Pannonian]

There is an executive summary, put on your big boy pants and try reading it.

If you get to any difficult words let me know, and I'll help.

Have you listened to Mr Trucker's testimony yet? The government have already written policy in response to it. Do you still think it is too insignificant to take notice of?

And again, what do you think of the latest news of the government's implementation of Brexit? It's not think tank fantasy, but actual news of what the government is actually doing.

[Montmorency]

No.

No, no, no.

Tell me about the lies of this piece that allows you to write it off without any critique of the methodology.

China is graded to have "cultural prestige" about par with Saudi Arabia? Tosh. Cultural prestige is not a function of "freedom to create" (the weightiest component of the instrument). China is probably in the top 20 or even 10 for soft power, certainly above - what the hell does KSA even have, holy cities?

(I didn't read anything, just glanced at one of the tables.)

Boys, look, I am starting up a microbrewery and to be honest the price of hops is killing me. Californian's just love these 150 IBU IPAs, it's disgusting but that's the market for you.

Starting March 29th, I am buying up all those quality German hops that no longer have a destination to go to at discount prices. Please don't sign May's deal, otherwise it's gonna screw up my profit margins.

Real or satire?

[Pannonian]

China is graded to have "cultural prestige" about par with Saudi Arabia? Tosh. Cultural prestige is not a function of "freedom to create" (the weightiest component of the instrument). China is probably in the top 20 or even 10 for soft power, certainly above - what the hell does KSA even have, holy cities?

(I didn't read anything, just glanced at one of the tables.)

One of the greatest acts of Chinese soft power is its investment in 3rd world countries with infrastructure that they can't pay for, which the Chinese eventually take over on default. Given my interests, Pakistan is a pretty detailed example of the Chinese MO, and Pakistanis (or at least their middle class) aren't happy.

[a completely inoffensive name]

One of the greatest acts of Chinese soft power is its investment in 3rd world countries with infrastructure that they can't pay for, which the Chinese eventually take over on default. Given my interests, Pakistan is a pretty detailed example of the Chinese MO, and Pakistanis (or at least their middle class) aren't happy.

Really? I consider that a liability. paying millions for infrastructure which you do not directly control. What is to stop a country from nationalizing it? Are they going to try the same approach the US and British did in the middle east in response to secular, socialist, pan-arabism?

[a completely inoffensive name]

Real or satire?

Closer to the latter. Unfortunately, I know in my heart that when no deal happens, the EU will likely pay full price to the farmers for any cancelled UK shipments and then torch the supply.